A Study Comparing Survival of Hair Follicles Stored Cold and at Room Temperature

Article Figures & Data

Download figure
Open in new tab
Download powerpoint
FIGURE 1.
Needle-nose pliers with a soft rubber cover was used for “soft” crush treatments (bulb and bulge). Photo: Michael L. Beehner
Download figure
Open in new tab
Download powerpoint
FIGURE 2.
For all patients, a 1.5mm-wide “moat” of bald scalp was left around each study box to facilitate the counting of follicles.
Download figure
Open in new tab
Download powerpoint
FIGURE 3.
The chart shows the proportion of hair follicles that survived (all three patients combined) for follicles stored ex vivo at different temperatures. The treatment conditions include: “None” = no treatment other than the temperature storage conditions; “H2O2-1%” = dunked in 1% hydrogen peroxide, then subjected to the temperature storage conditions; and “Stress” = all other treatment conditions combined, then subjected to the temperature storage conditions. Note that the proportion of surviving hair follicles is higher for those stored at room temperature in all but the “Stress” conditions.

TABLE 1.

Number of Follicles Placed andTreatment ConditlonandTemperature Storage Conditions (stored cold [4°C] or room temperature [21 °C])

Patient	Treatment condtion	Temperature storage COLD	Temperature storage ROOMTEMP	Total follicles
1	None	50	50	100
	Hydrogen Peroxide (1%)	50	50	100
	Bulb crushed (hard)	50	50	100
	Bulb crushed (soft)	50	50	100
	Bulge crushed (soft)	50	50	100
	Stored dry (gauze)	50	50	100
	Hydrogen Peroxide (3%)	50	50	100
2	None	100	100	200
2	Hydrogen Peroxide (3%)	100	100	200
3	None	180	180	360

TABLE 2.

Total Number of Follicles Placed (Total) and Survived (Survival) Under Different Treatment and Temperature Storage Conditions

Patient	Treatment condition	Total COLD TEMP	Survival COLD TEMP	Percent survival COLD TEMP	Total ROOM TEMP	Survival ROOM TEMP	Percent survival ROOM TEMP
1	None	50	39	0.78	50	46	0.92
	Hydrogen Peroxide (1%)	50	43	0.86	50	51	1.02
	Bulb crushed (hard)	50	9	0.18	50	27	0.54
	Bulb crushed (soft)	50	34	0.68	50	37	0.74
	Bulge crushed (soft)	50	24	0.48	50	39	0.78
	Stored dr/(gauze)	50	40	0.80	50	37	0.74
	Hydrogen Peroxide (3%)	50	30	0.60	50	29	0.58
2	None	100	83	0.83	100	92	0.92
2	Hydrogen Peroxide (3%)	100	40	0.40	100	55	0.55
3	None	180	146	0.81	180	166	0.92